Têmtum
One would have a hard time believing that this layabout tiefling actually does anything but lounge around the guild. Quite to the contrary, he's a true adventurer that loves to sail the ocean blue in search of rare treasures and interesting knick-knacks. All of which he keeps in his hidden guild room or, for his less favored items, his ship quarters. He is amiable yet it would seem there are very few people he considers as friends. Due to his upbringing, this former pirate is not one that trusts others easily. To him, Blanka was the only person that he found himself able to trust from the very beginning and it is likely because of this that he would do anything to preserve her happiness, no matter his own cost. Backstory Born to some unknown parents of an unknown land, Têmtum was thrown into the sea shortly after his birth, likely due to his infernal appearance. Whether by luck or--as Blanka insists--Hakai Kikai's blessing, he was eventually fished from the sea by the pirate crew of The Seas Insanity. He joined their crew and worked his way up in the ranks. When Blanka was fished from the sea years after he had, Têmtum felt a strong bond towards her. He decided to dedicate his life to protecting her by any means necessary. This decision eventually leads him to finding and hiring Tarthurac when he finds their captain taking too many risks at the crew's expense. Once he and Tarthurac manage to dispose of the captain, Têmtum, as the First Mate, secedes his succession to Blanka instead, making her the new captain of The Seas Insanity. After a bit of traveling the seas, The Seas Insanity comes across a new civilization on the wild continent of Flouna. After speaking to many of the sailors of Alfenheim, Blanka feels she cannot ignore their plight and has her crew settle in order to protect and nurture the people. When the town's founder returns about a year after their arrival, he is impressed with Blanka's actions and invites her to stay. Têmtum is left to deal with the disgruntled crew and those that remain turn to him for direction as Blanka loses interest in sailing the seas for adventure and treasure. While on land he helped Blanka and Alfomal to form a guild responsible for exploring and protecting Flouna and its settlers. In recent times, Têmtum can usually be found lazing about the Wahda Guild Hall or poring over his maps. When not at the guild hall he is either tending to his ship, sailing with a restless crew, or frequenting the dirtier parts of Alfenheim. A Pirate's Life Childhood Though the crew members like to joke about having "fished him from the sea," Têmtum was actually given to the crew by a sea dwelling humanoid when he was around four years of age. However life on the Seas Insanity could be quite dangerous for a child and most of the crew did not care to take on another mouth to feed. However the first mate, Ottilia 'The Siren', had a strong desire to nurture and the persuasive skills needed to welcome him onto the ship regardless of how the other crew-mates felt. Though the crew did not make life easy for the child, often using him as their scapegoat. He was constantly being blamed for things he had not done and, though the first mate defended him, he would still take the punishment as the true culprit was more useful and respected. 'The Siren' began to teach Têmtum her skills to make him more useful. He was small, dexterous, and could see in the dark far better than many of the other crew members. She showed him how to navigate the ocean, read maps, and use a rapier. Têmtum was not easy to teach, however Ottilia managed to make him useful to the Sea's Insanity after six years. However, not long after his rite of passage, he was blamed for the murder of two crew members. Captain Yama Haboko was ready to keelhaul him without a trial but The Siren stepped up to confess to the murders, shocking the crew and Têmtum. However none were more shaken than the captain whom punished his longest serving mate with marooning. To this day, Têmtum still does not know who the true culprit was... Becoming A Man The second first mate that Têmtum served under had been young and reserved--the last person one would expect to take 'The Siren's place. It soon became apparent just why he had been chosen as first mate when he showed his skill with ranged weaponry. Being a half elf, it probably shouldn't have been much of a surprise that he had sharp eyes. He always seemed to know what every member of the crew was up to and where they were. Like his predecessor, he had taken a liking to the young Têmtum, showing him how to shoot and how to defend himself in many different situations. He would sit in the nest for hours, having Têmtum observe everything on and off the ship. Balthonis 'Salty Dog' was like a father to Têmtum for at least three years following the loss of The Siren. Though this relationship was not what the 'Salty Dog' desired with the young tiefling. He soon set the relationship on a different path, joining with Têmtum in matelotage on July 12, 167. An Angel's Arrival Days before his sixteenth birthday, Blanka was found floating near a shore whilst the Seas Insanity was in a small port for more supplies. Têmtum was the first to spot her and, without asking permission, abandoned his post in the crow's nest to retrieve her. He dragged her to the shore and attempted to revive her but found there was no need. She awoke just before he could even check for a heartbeat. She was small and dressed in an ocean-worn tunic and upon meeting her sea green gaze, Têmtum found himself unable to deny her his aid. He helped her to her feet and gave her the shirt off his back before taking her to the cabin he shared with the Salty Dog to dry off. Once she had some water and food she thanked him and began to tell him her story. He was amazed to find another that was cast out to sea and stunned that she had apparently been accepting of her sacrifice. They remained in the cabin until night fell and the crew mates returned. When Salty Dog returned to the cabin and saw their visitor, he dragged Têmtum from the cabin to discuss the young girl's fate. After a very brief argument, he decided that the captain would be the one to decide her fate... Thankfully, Captain Yama Haboko was smitten with her, insisting she remain on the ship rather than be sold or tossed around. Upon discovering she had been learning to become a cleric of Hakai Kikai, it was decided that she would become one of the crew and continue her worship and training for their benefit. Têmtum was assigned to guard her from any rowdy crew members. A job which he took quite seriously. He would rarely leave her side, much to Salty Dog's chagrin. However he had no ill intentions, having never thought of being with a woman the way he and the first mate were. He merely had a strong urge to nurture and protect the child from experiencing any of the unpleasantness he did. Becoming First Mate As Blanka grew and matured, Têmtum remained as her protector, caring for little else in his life. The oldest crew members suspect that this was perhaps a key factor in Balthonis' demise... Têmtum was nearly nineteen when the Seas Insanity docked at a rather unsavory port for a few days. Though the rest of the crew had no problem in such a place, it was certainly no place for someone as pure as Blanka. He was constantly on edge when she left the ship to spread her faith and heal for profit. On the night of July 12, 171, the Salty Dog demanded Têmtum accompany him to the local brothel with some other crew members. He resisted at first but soon relented given that it was their anniversary and Blanka hated to see crew members fight. They spend the night in the town together and visited various establishments. The once reserved first mate was no longer quiet or cautious and with far too much alcohol in his system. Just hours before the Seas Insanity was to leave the port, a guard witnessed Balthonis getting intimate with Têmtum--a serious crime in the land they were docked at. It's unclear exactly what happened that night but when Têmtum returned to the ship wounded, covered in blood, and clutching his mate's beloved hand crossbow, it was apparent that the Seas Insanity would need to set sail immediately and never return. To this day, not even Blanka knows the details of what really happened that night... After the crew had time to mourn and Têmtum had been able to give his report to the captain, the Seas Inanity needed a new first mate. Having his union with Balthonis had given Têmtum insurance on the ship--insurance that he would be the Salty Dog's replacement in the event of his death... Adventuring For Treasure Since Têmtum took over navigation, he began to steer the Seas Insanity away from the risks of illegal plundering and instead persuaded the captain to hunt for treasures. Not all of these were without risk of breaking the law but it was certainly less dangerous than raiding the ships of powerful countries and settlements. The loss of Balthonis seemed to have changed Têmtum 'Sea Dog' from the obedient scapegoat to someone that risked his life for the sake of the crew. While the captain was content with raiding anyone from poor fishing vessels to the wealthy shippers, Sea Dog wanted the crew to experience adventures and find treasure that no one else would think to look for. He threw himself into the water many times and spoke with the sea's creatures for leads and advice. The captain humored him for awhile, reminded of when he first became a pirate free from laws and expectations. However his word was still law and there were times he demanded the tiefling to follow his orders. The first mate still guarded Blanka but she did not need his protection much since he had taught her how to handle a rapier as well as some of the other crew members. She was charismatic and beautiful enough at this point to have them all eating from the palm of her hand--had it been in her character to do as much. She acted more like a mother to all of Seas Insanity. The only exception to this would perhaps be Captain Yama and Têmtum. The first mate was her closest friend and someone she enjoyed speaking to casually. Where as the Captain was one she felt she owed her life to. A fact that he was well aware of. The crew did seem to enjoy the adventures more than the raids, boasting about their encounters at taverns and brothels to impress the women (and in few cases, men). Têmtum never left the ship unless it was to accompany Blanka, wanting nothing to do with any landlubber even though it had been over six years since Salty Dog's passing. It was around this time that he came upon one of his most alluring hunt yet; remnants of an old magic school. Once he returns to the ship he begins to plot the course based on the information he received, marking a few other known locations of other parts of the school. However he discovers the best treasure would be nearly impossible to get to as it was in such close proximity to the dragon turtle's nest and the only other way around it would have been to go through a notorious siren trap or some other sea monster's lair. It would clearly be too difficult to reach and so he opted to try and find one of the other pieces that may have been raided and very few resources that haven't been damaged by time and the water, but better than risking the lives of the crew. He brought his plans for the smaller hunt to the captain but Yama Haboko already heard from Blanka that Têmtum had found something particularly good. Hesitantly, as he was not so dumb as to test the captain's short patience, he explained the risks and potential of the better treasure. As expected, he wanted to aim for that treasure first. So they sailed for the fallen castle, deciding it would be best to risk the sirens rather than bribe the turtle dragon with more than they could afford. The journey started good despite running a bit lower on supplies than anticipated. They seemed to pass through the Siren's Trap without issue. Perhaps the dragon turtle had scared them away. Alas, this was not the case as the crew would find out upon leaving the anchored ship to reach the partially submerged castle. The culprits of Siren's Trap had swam ahead to meet the treasure hunters at their destination. Once the captain fell for the trap, the hunt was a failure. Had it not been for Blanka channeling her divinity, they likely would have been overwhelmed by the sirens in the water. They retreated for the boat once Têmtum managed to subdue Yama Haboko and hoisted the anchor. Songs continued to assault them and even Têmtum fell under before they managed to cross over the dragon turtle's territory to stop their pursuit. By the time he left that dreamlike vision, he found himself mesmerized by the beautiful woman that stood before him, moonlight reflecting from her wet, wavy blonde hair. He saw that Blanka was no longer the little girl he protected and had potential to become a strong leader that would really care for the crew. Yama Haboko's Demise Ever since their run in at the Siren's Trap, Têmtum began to notice a change in their captain's daily behavior and routine. He paid no mind to his own changes, more concerned with the danger he perceived Blanka was in due to Yama Haboko's change. The captain would often call her into his quarters at night and began to have less interest in anything but the radiant young woman. He took increasingly greater risks to give her rich gifts, ignorant to the crew's whispers about their beloved idol being stolen from them. The other crew members wanted to spend time with Blanka and as their restlessness grew, they began to get rougher. Têmtum eventually confronted the pair with this problem and, while Blanka took the problem to heart, it seemed to anger the captain. His punishments became crueler and less fair when a crew member was suspected of mutiny. Têmtum did his best to as first mate to make Captain Yama Haboko see reason but it only put his own position at risk. Têmtum had also been spending enough alone time with Blanka to draw the crew's ire. Some of the more bitter men began to vilify him and spread that the loss of the two former first mates had been his intent. The toxic atmosphere aboard the ship congealed for nearly seven years before Têmtum finally found a possible solution. On the anniversary of Salty Dog's death in 185, Têmtum got into a brawl with his crew mates over the traumatic event. Seeing as he was outnumbered 4:1, a black dragonborn decided to intervene and even the odds. It was a bit rough but the duo managed to pull through the fight and, to thank the dragonborn for his help, the first mate offered to buy his drinks for the night. He introduced himself first as Têmtum and learned the name of his brawling partner was Tarthurac Skaar. He shared his concerns about Yama Haboko's abuse of power with the new paladin of Kord. Tarthurac agreed to help the first mate take care of the pirate captain in exchange for a fair bit of gold. He brought Tarthurac aboard as an additional member which the captain was quick to approve. He even, rather predictably, decided to take advantage of the newest addition by taking a particular dangerous treasure hunt that the Sea Dog had uncovered a few months earlier. Tarthurac managed separated the captain from the crew and turned on Yama Haboko after encountering one of the many acidic creatures the wet cave was known for. Since Têmtum had explored this dungeon alone before, he knew where to meet Tarthurac to make it look as though the captain had merely gotten separated while they were retrieving the treasure. The Seas Insanity came across the captain's body--already being feasted on by the ochre jellies--shortly after finding the stashed loot. Têmtum quickly dispatched the small oozes and had Tarthurac and another crew member carry their captain to the ship. They buried him later that night at the sea with only Blanka and a small handful of those that were loyal to Yama Haboko to truly mourn his loss. The next morning, the crew gathered around the mast to make Têmtum the new captain. However he was quick to turn down the position, instead electing that Blanka should lead their crew. While the cleric was caught off guard by this, she was eventually talked into humbly accepting the position. Having their idol as their captain would mean no one could lay claim to her for now she led them all. Surprisingly, to Têmtum, his new friend and accomplice decided to continue his journey aboard the Seas Insanity. Under Captain Blanka and first mate Sea Dog, the crew lived leisurely and rather charitably but never poor as they managed their wealth more efficiently than before and took far fewer needless risks. They continued to hunt treasure, explore new lands and oddities, and even battle a few interesting monsters for a good three years before they finally reached the coast of Flouna... Time to Settle Restoring Alfenheim Off the coast of a newly settling wild continent, the Seas Insanity began to encounter ships from a town that was experiencing some trouble from some of the native beasts. Blanka, being the charitable captain, could not ignore their plight and set their course for the main settlement of Alfenheim. They pulled into the slightly damaged docks September 19, 188. Initially quite unwelcome by the citizens of Alfenheim, the pirates remained on their ship while the captain and her first mate worked to improve the town's view of them. By the end of the month, after doing some hard labor for the town and healing their wounded, captain Blanka was granted an audience with the ones running the town. She returned to the ship with a plan for what each of her crew would do to help the town. What remained of the farmlands around Alfenheim were constantly being raided by goblins and other native beasts. To help, she assigned Tarthurac and some of the more combat capable men to defend the farmers while they worked. Têmtum, knowing the world better than most of the townspeople, was given the job to find resources and direct Alfenheim sailors safely through the waters. Finally, Blanka gave herself the task of befriending the native beast people known as Tabaxi. Increasing native hostilities was the last thing any person on Flouna needed given the time of year and recent events. The Seas Insanity managed to get Alfenheim through the winter with far better odds than they would have had. Goblin raids became less troublesome and having someone to heal the wounded was certainly a benefit the town had been lacking. Captain Blanka left a very good impression on the Tabaxi tribe, even managing to bring back a small handful to become better acquainted with the settlers of Alfenheim. Once the waters were warmer, Têmtum dove down to visit the underwater city of aquatic elves just off a northern coast of Flouna. He helped the merchants set up better trade routes and even led a few of them. After a little under two years, the town's founder returned with more settlers and guards to replace the ones lost to the Kuo-Toas. The high elf was impressed with Captain Blanka's work and abilities and spent a good year getting to know her better. In that year, the crew began to grow restless from not being able to travel the seas, unaccustomed to a landlubber's life. Têmtum did his best to try and appease them but a few of the more impatient men left the Seas Insanity for other ships. Captain Blanka, much to Têmtum's disappointment, seemed to have lost the desire to travel the open seas, instead preferring the life she had known before meeting the pirates. After putting him in charge of the remaining crew, Blanka focused her efforts on erecting a temple to her beloved Hakai Kikai. Alfomal, the founder of the town, gave her all he could to assist her efforts. Têmtum, not wanting to be excluded from Blanka's life, also attempted to help but alas, there was little he could really do. He could not compare to the wealthy high elf and instead merely watched over her from their ship, bonding more with Tarthurac and the remaining and restless crew. Founding the Guild Although Alfenheim now thrived by the sea, by land was another matter. They were relatively cut off from the rest of Flouna and the other settlements. This was mainly due to how dangerous traveling the land could be. Sensing Têmtum's restlessness, Blanka brought the idea of founding a guild to Alfomal. Members of this guild would explore the unexplored, protect those that needed protection, and better the relationships of neighboring settlements--the beast races included. Alfomal agreed to it but on the conditions that Blanka would never return to the sea without him and that Têmtum would not be in charge of the guild. Blanka agreed to these terms and his veiled proposal with more enthusiasm than her first mate liked. However he valued her happiness above his own and deemed the crew would manage without Blanka on board at all times. They could always visit her in the temple, after all. The Wahda Guild finished construction January 1, 191. Shortly after this, Têmtum would travel with Tarthurac and a few of their crew to the different settlements. The treasure hunter created a map of Flouna's settlements and worked with his comrade and Alfomal to clear safer roads to and from each of them. New Family The Guild was small and rather quiet with its activities for the first few years of its founding. Têmtum would also often leave for the sea to take his restless crew treasure hunting or exploring so they would not lose their sea legs. When he returned from one such excursion in time for Blanka's 35th birthday he was devastated to find his captain was engaged to the town's stoic founder, Alfomal. Shortly after learning this Têmtum became distant from everyone, holing himself up in guild room or his cabin on the ship. When his own birthday came, Blanka went to his room to talk. They reconciled and reconnected that night and by morning, Têmtum seemed to be back, even agreeing to attend the wedding when it takes place. He spent more time on the ship than he did before, only leaving when the crew dragged him out for the night. Seeing that the other members of the crew were almost as disappointed helped him come to terms with the new change. On December 20, 192 Têmtum gave a speech for Blanka's ceremony, wishing for her eternal happiness and even threatening anyone that would get in the way of that. Following this day, he distanced himself from Blanka, choosing to watch over her from afar. When she began to show signs of pregnancy, Alfomal made sure to increase the pair's distance, not wanting the rough tiefling to have a negative influence on his children's upbringing. Alfomal sent Têmtum out to sea for a full two months as the delivery date neared. He does the same for when he and Blanka have their second child. During these trips he locates another piece of the flying magic school and sets to work in gathering anything of value he finds to take to one of his hidden hoards... Presently Têmtum has since been put mostly in charge of the guild's activities with Tarthurac while his fellow founders are busy raising their two children. Blanka adds a Tabaxi ambassador by the name of Nyanta to the guild's roster at the beginning of the year 195 and Alfomal introduces a rather barbaric woman named Adexia to the guild in an attempt to keep her in line shortly after. Since then the number of guild members has multiplied significantly, giving Têmtum a distraction from his past and relationship issues. Around August 196, Têmtum decided to revisit one of his old hunts nearby. The library portion from the magic school of Faerbaron. Upon entering he soon hears something he had not heard before--a woman's voice calling him from inside of a book. Soon after, Helena was released into the material plane and, having no where else to take her, Têmtum brought her to the guild. Description Looks & Attire Now in his mid 40s, Têmtum still dresses as he did while pirating Voltunt's vast ocean. His dark blue skin is covered with scars which were obtained during his rougher days from either rapier fights or sea monsters. His two most prominent scars, one on his face and the other on his exposed torso, came from the night that Balthonis 'Salty Dog' was killed. The other outstanding scars are on his arms, mostly given to him by various sea monsters. He keeps his messy black hair under a bandanna and never bothers to hide his horns or thick tail. His left ear is pierced with a gold hoop earring and keeps his beard trimmed to just half an inch past his chin. Other accessories include his leather wrist cuffs and rather ornate black pirate-style boots. When expecting difficult combat he dons his studded leather mariner's armor. Aside from his rapier, Têmtum owns two hand crossbows. While one of the crossbows is of simple make and carried with him most of the time, the second crossbow is of exceptional quality. This +3 crossbow once belonged to Balthonis 'Salty Dog' and is perhaps one of Têmtum's most closely cherished treasures. He will only use it in desperate situations or if there is no chance of losing it. Personality Têmtum can be relatively quiet, save for when others manage to rile him up, and gives the impression of a layabout with no motivation. When surrounded by people he considers good company, he will become more outgoing, even joking and making poor puns to lighten the room. He is incredibly loyal to Blanka and will never betray the trust of someone that has earned his. He has a passion for treasure and even worthless oddities that he finds amusing. He's a patient man that is not prone to outbursts or anger, instead taking a passive aggressive route or simply ignoring the taunts. Even if Blanka is the one under threat, he will not lose his composure if it's disadvantageous. He would gladly lay his life on the line for his soulmate and may even risk it for the good of those he is placed in charge of. Since settling down in Alfenheim, he has no desire to lead anyone and prefers to merely go with the flow of things. He does not like confrontation or hurting people that do not deserve it and will stick up for those less fortunate. He has a soft spot for women and children that was perhaps due to The Siren's nurturing influence in his early life. When he does not have to be at the Wahda Guild he can usually be found aboard his ship or, more recently, going to the seedier parts of the town--specifically the brothels. Relationships Blanka Têmtum is aware of the fact that he desires Blanka but will never act on these desires because he recognizes that she is far happier without him interfering in her newfound family life. He is also careful not to distance himself from her too much since she worries about him and expresses platonic love for him. He looks after Blanka's children from afar and even respects Alfomal's desire to keep them away from Têmtum and the rest of the Seas Insanity. Tarthurac Têmtum views the dragonborn paladin as a friend and someone he can confide nearly anything in. Although he is somewhat aware that Tarthurac has little to no interest in his problems, he is still good company to keep. He still offers to buy Tarthurac drinks when he needs to vent, when he's feeling lonely, or even if he's contemplating some risky behavior. Alfomal As stated in Blanka's section, Têmtum respects Alfomal's desire to distance his family from the old pirate. He will openly talk unfavorably on Alfomal but, if someone comes to him with talk of harming him or taking him from Blanka, Têmtum is quick to defend him and the relationship he has with Blanka. Cassandra is the only one that has so far tripped him up in this regard, bringing up the age gap and lifespan issue between the couple. Shaunah This promiscuous woman of the streets is often seen with Têmtum when he visits the shadier parts of Alfenheim. During the Githyanki prep festival, it was revealed that they are actually in an open relationship. Têmtum seems to be close and comfortable around her but will still speak fondly/intimately of Blanka when he is with her. Her motives and intentions at this point are unclear. Trivia * Têmtum likes to joke that it was a sea hag that brought him to the Seas Insanity. * If ever asked, Têmtum will state that he is straight or else only attracted to Blanka. * Têmtum's attraction to Blanka is obvious to just about everyone and their relationship is commonly gossiped about in Alfenheim. * His fiendish lineage is just as unclear as his birth and life before joining the Seas Insanity. * Every July 12, Têmtum seemingly isolates himself from the world, only allowing Blanka to visit him. * Hellish Rebuke. Category:Alfenheim NPC Category:NPC Category:Characters